Hello, everyone. ThunderReborn from 2025. This chapter has originally been edited by TM11 when this chapter was originally released. On April 1st, 2020, this chapter was edited again by Darklord331. Finally, in April 2025, this chapter was edited again by my current beta reader, Waroyer123. Thank you and I hope you enjoy the story.
The following is a fan-based parody.
Bleach is owned by Tite Kubo, TV Tokyo, Viz Media, Studio Pierrot... and other people.
All other references of characters or abilities are not mine.
Please support the official release.
"Hello." -Normal talking
'Hello.' –Ichigo's thoughts.
"Hello." – Zanpakutō speaking
"Hello." – Zanpakutō thoughts.
Kon'nichiwa [Translation of Hello]
Chapter 3 – Trip to Hell
It has been a few months since dealing with the Fullbringers. Ichigo made sure to observe Chad in case there were any side effects from Yomu Kioku. Kyōka informed him that Ichigo received Chad's memories from the point when he was stabbed until now. Ichigo was surprised by this new fact and suggested turning Yomu Kioku into something similar to a computer. Kyōka became curious about the idea and went to work on it.
Meanwhile, Ichigo combined Yorugetsu with Kyōka Suigetsu and Yorugetsu with Zangetsu. It took a lot of effort, but it worked. Ichigo was pleased with this and used his powers to summon Yorugetsu or Yorugetsu from his mindscape. With more training, Ichigo also gained the ability to manually leave his body without the need for a Mod Soul or his badge. By applying the same concept used for his katanas, Ichigo was now able to send his body into his mindscape.
Kyōka was currently sitting at a computer in Ichigo's mindscape. Following Ichigo's advice, she allowed Yomu Kioku to manifest as a computer inside Ichigo's mindscape, where the programs on the computer were each person affected by the Fullbring. Each file was a video created from 24 hours of memories, and for the past few months, Kyōka, with help from Hōgyoku, had been processing all of the information they gathered.
Hearing a ping from the computer, Kyōka clicked on the new file that appeared and began watching it. A few hours later, she stopped the video and ran out of her little corner of the mindscape.
"Ichigo!" Kyōka called out.
"Yes, Kyōka?" Ichigo replied.
"Are you busy right now?"
"No. Why?"
"I have something very important to show you," she stated.
"Okay. Give me one second to get there," Ichigo said. A few moments later, he appeared in front of her.
"Okay, show me," Ichigo said, and Kyōka took him to her computer and clicked play. The video began with Rukia, Renji, Urahara, Chad, and Orihime sitting around a table at what Ichigo recognized as Urahara's Shop.
"Kuchiki-san, what happened tonight that required all that healing?" Urahara asked.
"Well, I went out to investigate what attacked those Shinigami around the area. I soon encountered it and fought it. The being had a white mask over its face and wore a black cloak connected by white clips. On its wrists and ankles, it appeared to have chains, and it had bat-like wings on its arms. It revealed itself to be Shrieker, a Hollow Ichigo sent to Hell. Somehow, Sinners are now able to come out of Hell," Rukia said.
"Interesting. What did the Soutaichō say about this?" Urahara asked.
"According to Nii-Sama and Ukitake-Taichō… 'The situation is grave. We will start by dispatching Abarai Renji and Kuchiki Rukia, who first encountered the Sinner, as advance troops to the World of the Living. In the event the need arises, I will provide them with procedures to infiltrate Hell and to make an emergency return.' Also, under no circumstance is Ichigo supposed to know about this," Rukia said. Kyōka ended the video feed.
"I see. Thank you for letting me see this, Kyōka," Ichigo thanked her.
"No problem, Ichigo," Kyōka said. With that, Ichigo left the room to continue what he was doing before being called.
Scene change: The Next Day
Today was the first day of senior year for Ichigo, and he was walking to school alone. Ichigo noticed that Chad and Orihime were in front of him, talking quietly. He assumed they were discussing the Sinner and what Rukia and Renji told them yesterday. Suddenly, Ichigo heard a loud banging sound and saw that all the support structures for the new building by the school had collapsed. All the broken pieces started to crash down, and everyone ran to get out of the way, except for a girl. Chad quickly sprinted and used his shoulders to block the debris from hitting her.
"Are you all right?" Chad asked.
"Yes," the girl replied. With that, she ran inside the school building. The main western courtyard of the school was off-limits for the police to investigate. Despite this, the school day continued as normally as it could, though various students were asked about their observations of the situation.
Today, Ichigo had a soccer game, and from the sidelines, he could see Orihime, Chad, and Uryū near the building, trying to figure out what had happened. Suddenly, there was a big explosion, releasing pink smoke and destroying one of the floors of the school. Ichigo then saw beings with white masks and black cloaks fighting Chad and Uryū. As Renji and Rukia appeared to support them, the team captain called Ichigo. He looked at the captain, who told him he was being substituted in. By the end of the game, Karakura High School won 7-0. With that, Ichigo showered and went back home.
"I'm home," Ichigo said in a bored tone. He waited a few seconds, but all he heard was dead silence. Normally, when Ichigo arrived home, Yuzu was in the kitchen preparing dinner, doing her homework, or doing other chores. Ichigo went into the kitchen to see if Yuzu or Karin had left a note on the table. Back when they were younger, Ichigo had instructed Yuzu and Karin to write a note if they were going anywhere, but there was no note on the table. Ichigo then went to the refrigerator door to see if anyone had placed a note there, but once again, there was no note to be found. He immediately grew suspicious since they always wrote notes. Even when Karin sneaked out to Urahara's, she wrote that she was taking a walk.
"Kyōka, can you analyze the reiatsu in the air?" Ichigo asked.
"Yes, I can. Give me one second," she replied. "Shit…"
"What's with the reaction, Kyōka?" Ichigo asked.
"Ichigo… both Yuzu and Karin have been taken to Hell," Kyōka said in terror, knowing what would happen.
"Kyōka, you better not be kidding with me," Ichigo said, but no response came from his spirits. "FUCK! Can you detect if any of them are doing anything in response to this?"
"From what I can tell, nothing has been done. I tried to find your father, but I got nothing. He could have gone to Soul Society or to seek help at Urahara's."
"What options do we have? I cannot just charge into Hell and rescue them. I'm not supposed to have any powers, remember? Got any ideas?" Ichigo asked.
"Well… From what I can see from Chad's memory, Urahara is trying to develop some sort of technique to jumpstart your Shinigami powers," Kyōka informed him.
"I see… I think if we persuade him enough, he might consider using that technique on us. But how would it work against my powers?" Ichigo considered.
"Well, we could build up walls around your real powers, create another container that the incoming reiatsu will fill, and hook all the reiatsu lines to that container," Hōgyoku proposed.
"I think that is a good idea," Ichigo said. "Any drawbacks?"
"Well… Only that you will be off-balance until this unknown reiatsu is out of your system," Yhwach said.
"I see… How much potential would be lost by doing this?" Ichigo asked.
"You would likely lose 40%," Yhwach said.
"Why that much?" Ichigo asked.
"Mostly, the reiatsu you get will be mostly Shinigami, a little Hollow, and no Quincy," he answered.
"I see. Let's go with it," Ichigo said.
"Well, be careful, King. Hell may cause my powers to activate," Zangetsu warned.
"All right, I'll be careful then." With that, Ichigo ran towards Urahara's Shop. He arrived there and pounded on the door.
"ONE SECOND!" Ichigo heard from inside. The door opened, revealing Tessai. "Sorry, we a—" Tessai stopped and realized who was at the door. "Kurosaki-dono. Come in," Tessai said, opening the door to let Ichigo inside. Ichigo walked in and was shown to the current meeting room. Ichigo saw Urahara, Orihime, Chad, Uryū, Rukia, and Renji sitting or lying on one side of the room. On the other side, Ichigo saw a tall, lean-built man with pale skin and shoulder-length white hair. He was wearing a sleeveless white shirt. The upper half of his head was wrapped in black bandages, and he had a black sash strapped to his waist. Ichigo pretended not to see Rukia, Renji, and the unknown man as he walked inside.
"Where are they?" Ichigo asked.
"Ichi…" Orihime tried to say.
"God damn it, Urahara. Where the fuck are my sisters!?" Ichigo yelled, slamming his fist on the table.
"Who is he?" the man asked.
"His name is Kurosaki Ichigo," Urahara answered.
"Just fucking great. Let me guess. My sisters were kidnapped by something involving the fucking spiritual world!" Ichigo yelled. Rukia got annoyed and attempted to kick him in the head, but she flew through his body and crashed onto the floor. "Based on your reactions, something stupid just happened." Ichigo then grabbed Urahara and lifted him, slamming him against the wall. "WHERE THE FUCK ARE MY SISTERS!?" Ichigo yelled. Ichigo then felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to look at Chad.
"In Hell, Ichigo," Chad said. "Sinners from Hell came and took them away."
"Chad, before you go any further, tell me who is in this room and why all of you looked towards that corner a few seconds ago." Chad pointed out where Rukia and Renji were and introduced the man named Kokutō. Chad also explained that Rukia attempted to kick Ichigo in the head but missed because she forgot Ichigo couldn't see or feel her.
"Okay, now then… WHY THE FUCK ARE YOU NOT DOING ANYTHING TO SAVE MY SISTERS!" Ichigo yelled towards Rukia and Renji.
"It's not like we can just charge in and rescue them!" Rukia yelled back, but Ichigo continued glaring at them.
"Well? Did you idiots forget I can't see, hear, or touch any of you? Chad, please tell me what these idiots are saying." At that, Chad repeated what Rukia said.
"Enough," Urahara said, catching everyone's attention. "Ichigo, you want to go rescue your sisters?"
"YES!" Ichigo yelled.
"Very well then." With that, Urahara went to the back room. A few seconds later, he came back holding a sky-blue sword. "This is something I invented to help you regain your Shinigami powers. Once the sword is stabbed into you, it will send a massive amount of reiatsu that everyone poured into it. I started doing this approximately six months ago. I estimate this sword does not have enough reiatsu to restore your Shinigami powers permanently, but it should be enough for you to participate in this one final act." Urahara explained and handed Ichigo the sword.
"Thank you, Urahara," Ichigo said.
"However, once the reiatsu injected into you runs out, you will likely stop having Shinigami powers permanently, Ichigo," Urahara warned. Ichigo nodded to show he understood and held the sword above his chest.
"Ready?" Ichigo asked his spirits.
"Yes," all his spirits said, ready to contain this wild wave of reiatsu. With that, Ichigo stabbed himself with the sword. A massive explosion occurred around Ichigo, and his human body hit the floor. Everyone saw Ichigo with a new Shinigami outfit and a slightly altered Zangetsu. With that, Ichigo sat down and was given a rough introduction to who Kokutō was.
"So your name is Kokutō, and you're a sinner from Hell," Ichigo asked to clarify the details.
"Yes. That is my name, and I am a sinner from Hell," Kokutō replied.
"If you are a sinner, you know how to get to Hell," Ichigo said. "If that's the case, take me there," Ichigo said. "Or Yuzu and Karin might…"
"…die, right?" Kokutō finished. "The air in Hell is like toxic gas to humans. If you don't get your sisters out of Hell quickly, they will die," Kokutō said. He then faced Rukia and Renji. "You Shinigami should have heard about what Hell is like, right?" Kokutō questioned.
"Hell is a place for those who can't get into Soul Society. It is a place to keep the souls of those who have committed horrendous crimes when they were alive. For those exiled to Hell, they are all chained up like sinners and tortured for all eternity to atone for their sins," Rukia said.
"Simply put, Hell is a place no ordinary person can endure. Do you still want to go to Hell, knowing all this information?" Kokutō asked.
"Of course! I can't abandon my sisters there!" Ichigo said.
"Okay, if you're that resolute, there's no harm in bringing you there," Kokutō said before he stood up. "I'm doing this just to teach those idiots a lesson. With you around, I'm even more powerful," Kokutō said.
"Why aren't you on the same side as them?" Renji questioned.
"Didn't I tell you? I dislike them," Kokutō answered. "You become an enemy if you dislike each other. That's what Hell is like."
"Since you're condemned to Hell, you must have committed heinous crimes too, right?" Rukia asked.
"Indeed. I deserve to be in Hell for everything I've done. But some would betray their hearts to the darkness for the ones they loved. If that's all, let's get going to Hell."
"Yeah!" Ichigo said.
"Wait." Renji interrupted. "Ichigo, are you going to trust this dubious person?"
"I don't care if he's dubious or not; I need to get Yuzu and Karin back. For that, I need his help," Ichigo answered. Renji came forward and grabbed Ichigo by the collar.
"Even if he's telling the truth, once you enter, isn't it playing into the hands of those fellas?" Renji questioned.
"I know that, but I still have to go," Ichigo argued back.
"Then we're going too," Rukia said.
"Rukia…" Ichigo said.
"Hurry up and get ready," Kokutō said. "I'm opening the gate to Hell." With that, Kokutō and Ichigo walked towards the underground area. Rukia and Renji walked behind them and discussed something.
"Renji, when the time comes, you know what to do, right?" Rukia asked.
"Yeah, if I have to, I will use that to bring all of us back here," Renji replied.
"I entrust it to you," Rukia said.
"No big deal," Renji replied.
Scene change: Hell, Two Hours Later
It had been two hours since the group entered Hell. Kokutō guided them through the first level of Hell, and while they ran, they encountered the Kushanāda, the guardians of Hell. Just as Zangetsu had warned, Ichigo's Hollow powers activated on their own, with Kokutō explaining that the air of Hell is dangerous to Hollows. In Ichigo's case, it made it even worse. They eventually made it to the next floor. Unfortunately, the remaining three members who had attacked the group earlier showed themselves.
Gunjō is a thin, tall, and muscular man with long dark hair who went after Rukia. His upper face is covered with bandages and two scars that start from his eyes and run down to his chin. His body armor is adorned with vertical lines descending from his collar to his shins, where the armor turns black. He does not seem to have a chain on his armor. His arms are equipped with long tentacles that replace his forearms.
Taikon is an obese man with pale blonde hair who fought against Uryū. His body armor is decorated with circular lines emanating from his stomach and shoulders. He has four dark teardrop marks on each cheek and one on the bottom of his belly, with his armor hanging down from his nipples. The chains of his body armor are located on his nipples.
Finally, Garogai is a muscular, gigantic man with red skin and yellow eyes, which are shadowed by his hair as he charged at Renji. He has dark green hair that is braided into a ponytail. His body armor is decorated with lines emanating from his sternum down to his ankles. He also has eight black straps on his body: one across his stomach, one on each thigh, two on each arm, and one on his neck. Chains are shackled to his wrists and ponytail.
The group was forced to abandon them as they charged to the lower floors. Eventually, they arrived at the fourth floor, where Kokutō said Yuzu and Karin were most likely taken. Somehow, Gunjō, Taikon, and Garogai then appeared from a nearby magma pool and began attacking Kokutō. While he kept them distracted, Ichigo ran and attacked Shuren. They struck each other with a few hits. Ichigo was forced to use his fake Bankai and his Hollow mask to defeat him.
"Yuzu. Karin. I'm coming now," Ichigo said before, out of nowhere, a sword came and stabbed him right in the chest. Ichigo fell to the ground as Kokutō came to stand in front of the fallen Ichigo.
"How are you, Ichigo?" Kokutō asked as Ichigo stared at him in shock. Kokutō bent down and ripped his sword out of Ichigo's chest, causing him to yell in pain. "Quiet; it's just a small cut," Kokutō admonished. He then swung his sword down at Ichigo, barely missing his head.
"Why...?" Ichigo asked.
"Why what?" Kokutō asked. "I did this for the same reason they did it. Didn't I say that here, you'd be revived after you die?" Suddenly, from a nearby magma pool, a body jumped out near the two. "What a nuisance; why won't you remain dead for a couple of minutes?" Kokutō said to the body that emerged from the molten magma. He then stabbed and cut the body, and everyone could hear it cry out in pain and agony.
"You betrayed us?" Ichigo asked.
"Everything is going according to plan," Kokutō answered. "All of you are just helping me. Come on, Hollowfy, and help me. Didn't you promise me?" Kokutō said.
"What about those things you said about your sister?" Ichigo asked.
"Those are real. My sister was killed, and I beat the life out of the murderer. I felt great for a moment. But my sister is not going to come back to life, no matter how much I think about her. So, I want everyone to have a taste of my pain!" Kokutō shouted before ripping apart the black fabric that covered his face to reveal the right side of it. It is severely burned, with the burns extending down the right side of his body and past his abdomen. "Why was I banished to Hell? Why?! I tried to escape many times. But each time, the Kushanāda pulverized me and sent me back to Hell. Then I saw it there, this memory in the rubbish dump. That's right, it was you fully Hollowfied. So, I spread this information to those guys in Hell. I have to get out of here at all costs. I don't even care if the Human World gets engulfed by this place," Kokutō said.
"Ichigo!" Rukia shouted in worry as she, Uryū, and Renji arrived at the scene. "Are you all right?" she asked. Kokutō immediately vanished and struck her down.
"You indeed are one of—" Uryū tried to say before Kokutō struck him down.
"No. You can't cut the chain with that…" Kokutō commented.
"Ishida! Rukia!" Ichigo yelled in worry for his friends. They may have drifted apart in the last few months, but he didn't want them to die.
"Rukia!" Renji called as he ran to her side. He dodged Kokutō's attack and attempted to strike him, but the chains absorbed the hit. "What!?" Renji shouted in confusion before being struck down by Kokutō as well. Enraged, Ichigo charged at Kokutō and swung Tensa Zangetsu at him.
"That's the way to do it! Release all your hatred. Let out all your anger and cut this chain," Kokutō said with a grin as he blocked all of Ichigo's attacks with his chains. "That's not enough. If you don't transform into the monster, you'll never beat me!" Kokutō yelled. He then disappeared and reappeared on top of the skeleton with Yuzu and Karin in his arms. "Look up here! Your sisters can no longer withstand Hell's miasma," Kokutō commented. Both Yuzu's and Karin's skin looked dull white, and their hair seemed to have lost its color. "Look, the chain is growing out of them," Kokutō said and showed Ichigo the chain starting to form on his sisters' chests. Around Ichigo, black reiatsu began to circle him.
"Yes, let your anger out," Kokutō said, still with a joyous grin on his face. "This is Hell! You don't have to hold back. Let the darkness take over!" Kokutō yelled. Meanwhile, Ichigo began to yell, whether in fear or rage, only he knew.
"Ichigo!" Renji called out.
"Welcome to Hell," Kokutō said and dropped the two sisters. With a loud yell, Ichigo jumped toward the skeleton structure and caught his sisters. Now fully Hollowfied and engulfed in his internal rage, Ichigo fired a large Cero at Kokutō. The Sinner used the Cero to start destroying the chains on his person. Renji quickly ran towards Ichigo and cut off his horn, stopping the Cero Ichigo had been charging. The redhead then placed his hands together to activate a special seal, but Kokutō quickly ran and managed to grab Rukia and Uryū and threw them at Renji, forcing the seal to activate on the three and sending them back to the Human World. All three Kurosakis were now trapped in Hell, along with Kokutō.
"COME ON!" Kokutō yelled as he kicked Ichigo in the head to wake him up. Kokutō heard Ichigo waking and grabbed the twins before jumping back a few hundred meters to gain some space. Ichigo quickly regained his bearings and saw Kokutō. He charged at the Sinner and started swinging, but Kokutō used his chains to block Ichigo's attacks again.
"Ichigo. Ichigo. You can't win. You can't win unless you let the monster out! You know this. Look around you!" Kokutō yelled. "Your Hollow can cause all this chaos, and it even broke many of my chains! Let it out. Let the monster out!" Kokutō shouted.
"Never!" Ichigo yelled and attacked again.
"So be it!" Kokutō yelled and quickly disappeared with Yuzu and Karin to another skeleton structure a few hundred meters away that somehow survived the destruction. He dropped them into the magma. Seeing this, Ichigo used Shunpō to reach the twins. Unfortunately, he didn't make it in time, and the two were swallowed by the magma, which made him furious.
"Good, Ichigo! Use the anger! Feel the hatred towards me!" Kokutō yelled. Right below him, two small puddles of magma jumped out of the magma pit. Kokutō didn't notice as Yuzu and Karin emerged from the magma and fell to their knees. They were both wearing white Shihakushō with chains of Hell in their chests. When they looked up, they realized who was there.
"Ichi-nii? Why are you here?" Yuzu asked in surprise.
"How are you here, Ichi-nii? Toshiro said you lost your powers," Karin said. Hearing this, Kokutō finally noticed the sisters and grabbed both Yuzu's and Karin's chains, pulling them up.
"Let me tell you something very important," Kokutō began. "The way Hell works is extremely simple. Those who are trapped here come back to life any number of times. But as long as they're never able to break their chains, they are trapped here for all eternity."
"Then all I have to do is find a way to break those chains," Ichigo replied as the reiatsu started to spiral around him once again.
"How very gallant of you. In that case, I assume you'll break my chains as well?" Kokutō asked.
"That I won't do. I'm going to destroy you," Ichigo yelled before he suddenly started to Hollowfy against his will.
"That's it!" Kokutō yelled. "Excellent. Your body lost control before. This time should be easier. The truth is, you can never entirely suppress that monster within you. Struggle as much as you like. In the end, it's hopeless," Kokutō yelled as Ichigo fought the Hollowfication.
"ICHI-NII!" Yuzu and Karin yelled in worry for their brother.
"Keep your voice down. We wouldn't want to disturb the transformation," Kokutō told them as he watched. "Do you hear that, Ichigo? The Kushanāda are emerging. They've sensed the change in your spiritual pressure." In the distance, one could hear the cliffs shake as the Kushanāda slowly appeared and marched towards Ichigo. "They'll be here soon to devour the man who has the power to destroy Hell. To survive, you'll have to Hollowfy," Kokutō laughed evilly. "Or would you rather be devoured?" Kokutō questioned. "It doesn't matter. You'll just come right back to life. So, are you ready to crush Hell? If not, the cycle will just repeat endlessly."
"That's not going to happen. I won't let it," Ichigo promised before he broke one of his horns, causing his Hollow form to deteriorate. "Seeking revenge on everyone because your feelings were hurt? What a waste of energy. It's childish to blame your pain on those around you and refuse to take responsibility for your actions. How long do you think you can run from your pain before it consumes you? The main reason I came back here was to save my family. And I will! But I refuse! I refuse to sacrifice those around me!" Ichigo yelled as his Hollow shell slowly broke apart into reiatsu. Throughout the entire exchange, the army of Kushanāda marched closer and closer towards Ichigo.
"ICHI-NII, BEHIND YOU!" Yuzu screamed.
"RUN, ICHI-NII!" Karin yelled.
"I will fight for my family with everything I have in my soul!" Ichigo yelled, and the last bits of his Hollow form shattered into reiatsu.
"ICHI-NII!" Both Yuzu and Karin yelled as a Kushanāda slammed its hand down, crushing Ichigo.
Scene change: Inside Ichigo's Mindscape
"Why am I here?!" Ichigo asked once he noticed that he was in his mindscape.
"Someone is here to speak to you, Ichigo," Hōgyoku told him and pointed to the figure. The figure she pointed at was very large, standing at least 10 feet tall. It appeared similar to the Kushanāda, but it was much more powerful than the Kushanāda they had seen roaming Hell.
"Hello, Kurosaki Ichigo. I am the leader of the Kushanāda and the current Gatekeeper of this realm," the Gatekeeper Kushanāda said.
"What?" everyone asked in surprise and various expressions of shock.
"Due to a major war many centuries ago, the previous ruler disappeared from Hell. Before she vanished, she used her remaining powers to create the Kushanādas. She knew she would not be able to take care of Hell anymore, so she decided to implant three commands in their minds. The first: is to drag all sinners to Hell. The second: to torment all sinners… And the last and most important one: to find a new Jigoku no Kōtei [Emperor of Hell," the Gatekeeper Kushanāda said.
"WHAT!" everyone exclaimed in surprise.
"You see, this realm's true mission has not been achieved, and it can only be accomplished if a Jigoku no Kōtei is in place," the Gatekeeper Kushanāda revealed.
"Why me?" Ichigo asked.
"There are a few requirements that she added for the Kushanādas to find a suitable being to become the Jigoku no Kōtei. The first requirement is that the being must have the power to destroy the Chains of Hell, which only a god-class being would be able to do." Ichigo nodded, remembering that during his rampage, he had started to destroy the Chains of Hell. "Even though you were not at your full strength, you were able to destroy them."
"I see…" Ichigo said.
"The next requirement is that the new Jigoku no Kōtei must have a pure soul. You, Ichigo, are someone who has not sinned," the Gatekeeper Kushanāda said.
"What about the Fullbringers I have killed? I've killed people," Ichigo said. The large Kushanāda chuckled.
"That is true; you killed these Fullbringers. However, did you enjoy killing them or desire to kill more?"
"NO!" Ichigo yelled, horrified at the idea of killing more people.
"The act of killing is not a sin, especially since you witnessed how much effort they went through to kill you," the Gatekeeper Kushanāda explained. "However, if you continued killing and enjoyed killing for the sake of killing, then that would be a sin."
"I see…"
"That fool Kokutō is an example of a sinner. He killed his sister's killer and then continued to kill others."
"I understand," Ichigo stated, and the Gatekeeper Kushanāda continued.
"The third requirement is that the next Jigoku no Kōtei must be willing to come to Hell of their own free will," the being said. "No one ever enters Hell willingly. However, you and your friends did. You came because it is your duty as an older brother to protect and rescue your little sisters, while your friends came because they desired to help you." The Gatekeeper Kushanāda explained. "And the last and final requirement is that the candidate must be human. The powers that I will bestow upon you will not work if your soul is solid. Shinigami and Hollow souls are too hardened to allow something like my powers to function."
"I see…" Ichigo thought it over for a few moments before asking, "What abilities and responsibilities do I gain if I become the Jigoku no Kōtei?"
"You understood that there are responsibilities tied to becoming the Jigoku no Kōtei. You're perceptive. That's good," the Gatekeeper Kushanāda praised him.
"All positions of power have responsibilities tied to them," Ichigo replied.
"True. Your first responsibility as the Jigoku no Kōtei is to allow sinners who have paid for their sins to enter the Cycle of Reincarnation."
"Okay… Hōgyoku, do you think you can help me create a gate or something?"
"I will look into that," Hōgyoku promised. Ichigo looked back at the Gatekeeper Kushanāda, who continued with his explanation.
"The second responsibility of the Jigoku no Kōtei is to ensure that all sinners who escape Hell are properly dealt with."
"Any other responsibilities?" Ichigo asked.
"No," the being replied. "Now, as the Jigoku no Kōtei, you gain the ability to summon The Gates of Hell, summon me or my army of Kushanāda, an ability called Tsumi no Me [Eye of Sin] – which allows you to see all the sins that a person has committed – and the power to summon hellfire." Black and golden flames appeared around them for a moment before disappearing. "You will also be able to revive any soul that dies in Hell and summon the Chains of Hell to control at your will. However, you must also wear this armor." He manifested a suit of armor that looked like nothing Ichigo had ever seen before.
The entire armor was primarily pale golden, with skulls on each shoulder functioning as shoulder pads and covering the arms as well. Another skull covered the left side of the chest, and it had a spiked skirt on the front. The armor was covered with black accented to highlight the skeleton details on the armor.
"This is the Jigoku no Yoroi [Armor of Hell," the Gatekeeper Kushanāda stated.
"Wait, can I use this with any of my other forms?" Ichigo asked.
"You can use these powers without the armor, but they will be significantly weaker. You can also use the armor with your human body. Now, Ichigo Kurosaki, are you willing to accept my offer of power willingly given by me and become the next Jigoku no Kōtei?"
"I, Ichigo Kurosaki, accept this offer and accept the title of Jigoku no Kōtei!" Ichigo declared, and he was then engulfed by a column of golden light.
Scene change: Outside Ichigo's Mindscape, Fourth Level of Hell
A golden glow started to illuminate the cracks in the Kushanāda's hand that had 'crushed' Ichigo. The Kushanāda began to turn into golden reiatsu that flew towards Ichigo's crushed spot.
"You lost control after all. That's good. Now go destroy them!" Kokutō yelled, mistakenly thinking the scene indicated Ichigo losing control. Once Kokutō got a clear look, however, he saw Ichigo surrounded by a golden light. "What's this?" Kokutō questioned. More and more Kushanādas started being converted into golden reiatsu, all flowing towards Ichigo. Soon a golden pillar formed, causing Kokutō to let go of Yuzu and Karin's chains to shield his eyes from the blinding light.
After the pillar disappeared, all the remaining Kushanādas took a knee and bowed. Ichigo quickly jumped and caught both of his sisters, slashing their chains off. Everyone then looked at Ichigo, who now wore a type of golden armor while holding Zangetsu, still in its fake Bankai state.
"What is this!? What have you done!?" Kokutō yelled in anger. Ichigo looked at Kokutō. His chocolate brown eyes gained a golden glow as he activated Tsumi no Me and learned why Kokutō was in Hell.
"Kokutō, think for a second. Would your sister be happy with what you have done? Taking revenge for her death and then killing more people while using her as an excuse?" Ichigo said. Kokutō sneered at Ichigo. "Hell did not give me this power to exact revenge. Hell wants me to stop ALL of you. Hell is asking an outsider for help so that you, Kokutō, will not escape!" Ichigo shouted, and his armor glowed an eerie golden as if in agreement with his statements.
"So you're saying Hell would ask for help from a human to stop me? IMPOSSIBLE!" Kokutō yelled and dashed at Ichigo.
"We are similar. We're both human and older brothers," Ichigo admitted before he swung Zangetsu and fired a beam of golden light, similar to a Getsuga Tenshō, at Kokutō. He took it full front, and once the beam faded away, the space between Ichigo and Kokutō was a long trench. The Chains of Hell fell off Kokutō.
"I'm… I'm… FREE!" Kokutō yelled as he checked to make sure. Sure enough, none of the Chains of Hell were on him anymore. But then, below him, he heard it: the sound of chains rattling. "No. NO!" Kokutō yelled as, from the trench, Chains of Hell shot straight up, reaching about 50 feet in the air. Immediately, all of them went after Kokutō, trying to hook him. The Sinner attempted to fight against the chains, but soon, one by one, they caught him.
"This is your punishment for the sins you've committed while trying to escape from Hell. You will spend all eternity repenting for your evil deeds," Ichigo declared. Kokutō was then dragged into the deepest, darkest part of Hell. After that, Ichigo quickly went to check on his sisters.
"Yuzu. Karin. Are you all right?" Ichigo asked.
"Yes, Ichi-nii," Yuzu and Karin assured him.
"Hold on tight," Ichigo told them, and they did so before he used Shunpō to take them out of Hell. Ichigo then dispelled the armor and willed the Gate of Hell to open.
"Remember to crash-land to make them think that your powers ran out. We'll help you get into a coma, just like when you used the Final Getsuga Tenshō," Kyōka reminded him.
"Thanks," Ichigo said. Outside, he could see Rukia, Renji, Urahara, and various captains surrounding the area. Ichigo purposely crash-landed on the dirt, angling his body so that he would take most of the impact. Once they crashed, Ichigo's vision faded to black, and he heard several people calling out his name.
Authors's note:
Pretty much what Ichigo looked like after being stabbed by Rukia in Fullbring Arc.